Opinion
Direct Action Everywhere, The Marty Project
How the tactic of ‘open rescue’ came to Wisconsin
Activists are planning another ‘open rescue’ of beagles at Ridglan Farms on April 19. These actions are a culmination of a decade of work.
The ghosts in my phone
“These days, seeing Tim’s name among my contacts elicits a strong sense of his absence from my world, a pang, if you will. And yet there’s some comfort in seeing him there.”
Apr 4, 2026
Freepik
Dems blow their leverage
The Republicans still control both houses in the Wisconsin Legislature, but by much narrower margins this session. They could have used their newfound power effectively. They didn’t.
Mar 26, 2026
Tommy Washbush / Freepik
Why does Wisconsin subsidize data centers?
A provision in Wisconsin’s 2023-2025 state budget created a sales and tax exemption for data centers.
Mar 11, 2026
Tommy Washbush / Freepik
We couldn’t do it without ‘em
They don’t do it for the money. Isthmus’ freelance contributors, who range from beginning writers to veterans, write about what they care about, bringing different passions and voices to the paper.
Mar 9, 2026
A rare Wisconsin bipartisan success story
A Republican joined a Democrat to champion a bill to require explicit, written consent for educational pelvic exams.
Mar 6, 2026
2:00 PM
Tommy Washbush / Freepik
UW athletics wants dark money
The Wisconsin Assembly has passed a bill giving the UW athletics department $14.6 million every year to spend as it wishes. It would break precedent by providing taxpayer dollars to an athletic program that has long claimed to be self-sustainining.
Feb 24, 2026
1:00 PM
Nadya Rosen
A letter to the drivers of South Park Street
People who stop at a crosswalk lit up with flashing lights don't kill teenagers who are trying to catch the bus to high school. If all drivers on South Park Street followed those rules, my son would still be here with me, making fun of me being old.
Feb 16, 2026
4:00 PM
Tommy Washbush / Freepik
Republicans take up ‘anti-SLAPP’ legislation
Now that Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature introduced their own ‘anti-SLAPP’ legislation, the bills passed in committee unanimously. But a floor vote is uncertain.
Feb 9, 2026
8:00 AM
Photo: Kash Patel via X
The real story of the prosecution of Hannah Dugan
Judge Hannah Dugan was charged and convicted in federal court of impeding or obstructing a proceeding while presiding over misdemeanor court on April 18 in Milwaukee County. But the real story of that day is one of federal overreach.
Feb 6, 2026
8:00 AM
Tommy Washbush / Freepik
Retention bonus did not retain Jennifer Mnookin
Last June UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin received a retention bonus of $150,000. She would have gotten $250,000 had she stayed into June of this year, but instead she’s leaving for Columbia University.
Feb 2, 2026
12:00 PM
In the April issue
50 years and counting
Isthmus was founded in 1976 by Vince O’Hern and the late Fred Milverstedt. The first issue was eight pages long and featured a shot from the movie ‘Taxi Driver’ on the cover. It’s changed a lot over five decades.
50 Moments in 50 years
Madison has undergone enormous change since Isthmus published its first issue in April 1976 and the paper has chronicled that evolution with care and affection. Here are some of the stories from the last half-century of Isthmus coverage.
Making the news
Former news editor Bill Lueders on living up to his charge to make sure that ‘news-minded people find the paper worth reading.’
Welcome to arts heaven
Dean Robbins, who steered Isthmus’ cultural coverage for more than two decades, looks back on ‘arts-critic heaven.’
The way we were
Revisit Madison's past with a collection of Isthmus file photos from the '70s, '80s and '90s.
